In the heart of the Cheshire country
side on Lord Delves Broughton's estate near to Wybunbury stands
Doddington hall. Overlooking the lake this grade 1 mansion
deigned by Samuel Wyatt, is set in gardens landscaped by Capability Brown.
In the 1940s the land in front of the mansion was requisitioned by the MOD
and a very large camp was built, initially to house the Free French and
then the American Army in preparation for the invasion of Europe.
The camp consisted of large corrugated metal Nissan huts and timber framed huts,
covered with plasterboard on either side with the outside surface weather
proofed with a bitumen coated paper, a metal frame supported an asbestos
roof. The floors were concrete, the window frames were metal and there was
a door at each end of the building. Admin Blocks, communal wash houses,
showers and toilet blocks were made of prefabricated concrete with brick
built ends. A typical 1940s.army camp.

Doddington Park on the A 51
between Nantwich and Woore.

The map shows the three
sections; camp 1 camp 2 and 3 that formed the camp.

After the war in 1946 the army camp in
Doddington became one of many resettlement camps for Polish Displaced
Persons. Men, women and children unable to return to their native country,
made their homes in the now disused accommodation. The camp was under the
administration of the National Assistance Board and had an English Warden
helped by a handful of English speaking Polish officials.

Rows of timber framed huts that
were home to Polish families.

A National Assistance Board at
the entrance to the camp.

The gate house at the entrance
to the camp

An outside stand pipe water tap

Doddington like all the other Polish
camps at the time housed people from all walks of life and every profession.
Farmers, teachers, doctors, men and women who served in the Allied Armed
Forces under British Command. By no stretch of the imagination were conditions
in the camp ideal for families to live in but after years in the
wilderness, being pushed from pillar to post, Poles were happy to have some
stability and a roof over their heads. Life had to go on, the church and
priest became a pillar of stability, strengthening their beliefs and
giving them hope. Soon the camp transformed itself into a vibrant Polish
community, observing their faith and traditions.

OBSERVING THEIR FAITH AND POLISH TRADITIONS.

Finding themselves in a strange country, not speaking the language, poles
found strength and solace in their faith and it was important to them to
instil that faith in their children. Doddington camp was no exception, a
church was soon established in one of the barracks. Sunday masses and
daily services were always well attended.

Every year a Corpus Christi Procession wound its way
through the camp, past the Nissen huts and
barracks, bringing together the whole community in an act of worship and
celebration. Young and old, come rain or shine, people in their Sunday
best, little girls dressed in white, older girls in national costume
creating almost a carnival atmosphere.

On the left; one of the huts converted into a church
- a view of the altar.

THE FOLLOWING PHOTOS ARE ALL OF
CORPUS CHRISTI PROCESSIONS FROM VARIOUS YEARS.

The four altars where built
around the camp and decorated by various organisationsactive in the camp.

It was also a day where
children took the centre stage and one which many remember to
this day.

Corpus Christi Processions

from various years in the 1950s

FIRST HOLY COMMUNION

First Holy Communion was another day
of celebration, this time for the children.

Back row, some of the teachersMr. Grycewicz, Mr. Czapliński, Fr. Mieczysław Stasz, head teacher
Mr. Piałuch. Some known names of the children -
Helena Szpak, Krysia Rorbach, Andrzej Grycewicz, Jan Czerski, Andrzej
Kucharski.

A visit by Prelate Bronisław
Michalski celebrating one of many children's First Communion

DODDINGTON
SCHOOL

The educational and social needs of people in the camp where catered for by the Committee
for the Education
of Poles who employed Educational Organizers in every Polish camp. Their
job was to organise nursery and primary school for the
children, and adult evening classes for those who wanted to learn
English. There were also some social activities, like sewing classes,
amateur dramatics and a choir. The Polish scout and guide
movement catered for the needs of older children and teenagers.

Nursery and infant school children with their teachers - 1950s

Can you name the children and teachers.

Class 2 washing their hand outside.
You
can just see the rims of the round wash bowls on the chairs

Junior
school

Back row: 5th from right: Andrzej
Chanerley, 3rd from right Edzio Kosy.

Polish History is steeped in tradition and
culture. Commemorating the 3rd. of May Polish Constitution Day
was celebrated every year in all Polish camps, Doddington being
no exception. The camp's children dressed in national
dress, usually made for them by their mothers, delighted the
audience and parents as they recited Polish poetry and danced
traditional Polish dances

Basia Auer, Klara Grycewicz, Urszula
Łyszczucka, Leonis ?

Wanda and Julek Socha

Wanda Socha

Children on stage singing “Witaj
Majowa Jutrzenko” (Welcome this May Dawn) is always sung on the 3rd
of May - Constitution day.

On the 6th of December St.
Nicholas visits all good children bearing gifts.

St Nicholas was born in the third century to
a wealthy family. He used his inheritance to assist the poor and
the sick. He was made bishop of Myra a city that was on the southern
Mediterranean coast of what is now Turkey. His generosity is
commemorated throughout Europe on the 6th of December. In Poland St
Nicholas called "Św. Mikołaj", calls on all good children bearing
gifts of fruit apples, oranges, nuts and "pierniki" a kind of
cookie made with honey and spices. In the camps all the children
gathered in the main hall waiting in anticipation for this saintly man
dressed in bishop's robes with a crosier and sack of
goodies accompanied by angles and a little devil.

Jurek Sitek reciving a gift from St,
Nicholas.

Polish children receive presents not only at Christmas but also on the 6th of December St.
Nicholas day.

Father Christmas visiting children in the camp's
sick bay.

Carol singers with a Crib and Stars "Szopka
and Kolędnicy"

The post war Polish community in the UK encompassed not
only all the social, professional, ethnic and religious groups found in
Polish society but also a huge range of war experiences and personal
suffering. Most cherished a dream of returning to a free Poland and picking
up their lives from where they left them. Sadly this dream could not
be realised. Few lived to see their homes and families in an
independent Poland.

Tadusz Wąs was one of
them. As a young man he studied fine art in the Institute of fine art in Kraków, specialising in mural painting and stained glass. He
had just graduated with honours when war broke out bringing to a halt
his artistic ambitions. Tadeusz became a soldier fighting for Poland's
freedom in the hope of returning to his country and building a career in
his specialised subject. Sadly fate denied him his dream. The end of the
war did not bring Poland its freedom. Tadeusz with thousands of other Polish
soldiers had to build a new life in a new country. He settled
in Doddington Camp where he met and married and brought up a
family, earning a living as a painter
and decorator for Crewe Council, a sad waste of his artistic talent. In his spare
time he resumed his love of painting and, in 1996 at the age of
79, he achieved his dream of his first one man
exhibition. More exhibitions followed in renowned art
galleries including those in Manchester and Glasgow. Mr. Wąs
died in 2005 but his legecy lives on, with his paintings
becoming increasingly sought after.

Aniela and Tadeusz Wąs
walking in
the camp.

If you lived in the camp and
would like to share your memories and photos please contact me.